


5 times Tim comforted Bertie, and 1 time Bertie comforted him

by Angels_Artillery



Category: The Mechanisms (Band)
Genre: 5+1 Things, And im so sad about them, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon Compliant, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, M/M, Song: Welly Boots (The Amazing Devil), Tim and Bertie are young, canon gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:42:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29107269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angels_Artillery/pseuds/Angels_Artillery
Summary: (The song Welly Boots by The Amazing Devil inspired this fic. Go listen to it, it's Tim and Bertie to a tee)The title says it all, really. Five(5) times Tim comforted Bertie and one(1) time Bertie comforted him.This fic is very short but I still love it, thank you.
Relationships: Bertie/Gunpowder Tim (The Mechanisms)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 14





	5 times Tim comforted Bertie, and 1 time Bertie comforted him

**Author's Note:**

> I almost tagged this as "canon gay characters" before I realized. This is the Mechs. Everyone is a canon gay character. I don't need to specify that Tim and Bertie are gay. 
> 
> Also, Content/Trigger warnings:  
> *Character dies on-screen, but it's not graphic  
> *They share a very sweet, short first kiss  
> *Jonny is an eldritch horror  
> *Tim has a lil bitty mental snap, like in the song  
> *General fear  
> *War  
> That's all I can think of, enjoy!!

Tim always told Bertie; “I’ll be your light, I’ll keep you safe against them all”  
~~~~~~~  
He told him that the day he turned 15. A week later he enlisted (illegally) so he’d be able to fight alongside Bertie who’d been conscripted (illegally).

“Tim, I’m scared,” he’d whimper as he’d clung to Tim’s arm in the back of the shuttle with 20 other boys and girls ranging from 16 to 20. Tim had forced a smile onto his face and kissed the top of his choppy blond head. The army had stopped trying to shave soldiers heads before sending them off. Hardly got adequate uniforms. 

“I’ll keep you safe,” He’d promised. “I’ll keep you safe.”  
~~~~~~~  
He told him that huddled under the cramped lead sheet, cradling his head into his chest as they both shook.

“Tim, it’s too dark. I’m scared,” a volley of gun-fire sounded above the tunnels. Tim felt Bertie's fingers ball into tighter fists in the back of his jacket. He just wrapped his arms around him all the more tight.

“I’ll be your light. I’m right here,” he promised. He prayed.  
~~~~~~~~  
He told him that as they both watched Jonny walk through a gas-filled chamber unscathed and breathing. As they both watched in horror as burns on his skin healed over in seconds. 

“Tim, I don't think he’s human…”

“Don’t worry, I won't let him hurt you,” he said with resolution and certainty in his voice, hoping not to betray his own fear. That was the night he sat awake and counted out the beads on his rosary one last time, before throwing it far, far away.

~~~~~~~~  
He told him that the night they kissed for the first time, sitting in a horrid camp, two years deep into a war they never wanted to be part of. When he took Bertie's shaking hands in his and looked him in the eyes and saw how much less fear sat in those now 17 year old eyes. Their lines aged him far beyond that.

“Tim…”

“I know, Bertie. I know,” he whispered as he pressed his forehead against his.

~~~~~~~~  
He told him that as Bertie lay in his arms, struggling to breathe for the hole under his ribs. Tears streamed down Tims face as Bertie cupped it in his bloody hand. Jonny had disappeared again, leaving them alone.

“Tim, it hurts. I’m scared,” he struggled to say the words. Tim could hardly speak the words without choking.

“It’ll be ok. You’re safe. I’m here with you, my love. I’m right here,”

And the scream that ripped through the tunnels when his last breath left his body was more horrifying than any sound heard that night.  
~~~~~~~~  
Bertie watched Tim tearing through the battalions of soldiers put in front of him, until he collapsed to his knees.

As he sat in the Kaiser’s cell, Bertie watched him storm around and scream. Forced to be a fully grown man at nineteen, scared like the child he was. 

“You were supposed to be my light! I was supposed to keep you safe against them all! It wasn’t supposed to be like this! You weren't supposed to save me!!"

And Tim could feel Bertie’s hand on his shoulder, a cold breeze against his lips, and a wave of calm. 

And he fell to the ground, tears in his eyes.

“Bertie, I’m scared…” he called out to no one.

“I know Tim. I’ll keep you safe,” Bertie answered. But Tim couldn’t hear him.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed the gentle sound of my heart ripping in the background from writing this. Also, I really like the idea that Tim was raised Catholic. Like super ultra mega-catholic, but abandoned that in the war, then abandoned it again when he met literal gods as a Mechanism. 
> 
> Thanks to @SpaceCityTraffic for beta-ing this and giving me so much encouragement all the time!! Go check them out!!


End file.
